Slow
by steph-901
Summary: A quiet story about how Harry and Hermione reflect on change before entering their seventh year at Hogwarts. If your looking for a major plotline then this is not it. AU. H/HR if you sqint


Disclaimer- I do not own anything

A/N This is my first Harry Potter Fanfiction (well first I've published) so I hope you like it!

PLEASE READ- This is AU, it's set at the end of summer, before they head off to Hogwarts for their seventh year. It doesn't really explain in the story but Harry moved in with Remus and Sirius about the age of six.

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Slow

"Aren't you a little old to be hiding in a tree?"

Harry hid his smirk carefully, avoiding Hermione's eyes as he replied "It's not just a tree…. It's a fort" Hermione chuckled softly at his indignation "My apologies. May I come up?" he shifted and lent forward, grabbing her forearms and supporting her up "I can do it, Harry" she stuttered, slightly ruffled as her feet shuffled against the trunk "Just humor me please". There was a struggle and then Hermione finally found herself comfortable on the wooden planks "Did Remus charm this wood or something?" Harry shrugged "I can't really remember… I assume so. I never really tested the comfort against other planks of wood" she sniggered at his sarcasm, earning a smile from Harry and then sighed suddenly "You know, I never realised that all my greatest memoires revolve around this backyard" Harry nodded "The whole house really" he added and then laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling of leaves.

There was a slight melancholy as the summer began to end. Harry couldn't help but feel nostalgic as he entered his final year of Hogwarts. He had always thought that coming of age would be full of perks, now he couldn't help but think of all the things that he was going to miss. All throughout this summer the conversations had had a strong focus on one thing- his future. He thought he had it all figured out. Since he was thirteen he had one dream, becoming an Auror. He would study under Shacklebolt for three years and then spend the rest of his life rising through the ranks. But as he watched Hermione study and he himself struggled through his new textbooks, he couldn't help but let the doubt slip in. What if he didn't have enough NEWTS? What if his application was rejected? What else could he do? What else did he want to do? The inner turmoil wasn't made easier as more decisions were forced to be made. If he did get in, he would have to more to central London. Leaving the place he had called home since he was six was harder then he thought. His room was filled with advertisements for apartments, townhouses and share houses- all differing in price and size and all scaring the hell out of him. Remus and Sirius had been nothing but supportive about him making his own home. In fact Harry was slightly miffed about how relaxed they were about him moving out. It made him feel slightly childish about how unwilling he was to let go.

He wrapped his arms across his eyes and felt Hermione lie beside him. She had been here since before his birthday and Harry had a feeling that she herself was struggling with the idea of leaving everything as well "This year is going to be so hard" she whispered "Everything is ending"

"Hey, we still have a year at Hogwarts"

"Don't talk to me through your arms" she scolded "I think Ron's the only one excited about the end of school. He has it in his head that we are going to move into together and party all the time" Harry removed his arms, revealing a sad smile "I wish he was right"

"Of course you would!" she slid on her side "Girls, drinking, up all night. Bachelors paradise"

"I wish you wouldn't do that" Harry stated with a slight glare "Pretend that Ginny and I aren't in a relationship" Hermione remained silent; they had been alternating between feuding bout Ginny and reminiscing most of the summer. She needed this time before she lost him to the population of Hogwarts "Well Ron thinks T.O.A.D is somehow going to relocate next year"

"Maybe it will"

"Maybe…." The tense atmosphere disappearing with her light smile "Why it would change locations after hundreds of years, I'm not sure"

"At least you'll be with us when you intern"

"That won't be for another three years…." Hermione rolled onto her back "But as you said, we still have this year at Hogwarts"

"I still don't understand why you want to be a Healer so badly. I mean you've had job offers from the Ministry and don't pretend you would be great making Spew official"

"It's S.P.E.W…..and it's been my dream for years to be a Healer"

"You're allowed to change your dream you know"

"I _do_ want to be a Healer" they ignored the waver in her tone "Can we talk about something else?" she demanded "Fine… I'm thinking of renting the brownstone one next year" Hermione grinned "Good! That was my favorite! What did Remus and Sirius think?"

"What all old people do. That it's too pricy, too densely populated, the crime rate is too high…" Hermione laughed "Is Ron going to live with you?"

"Nah, not central enough….he'll share with Thomas, Finnegan and all that lot"

"Where the action is then?"

"Yeah, but I doubt he'll commit to them till he is hundred percent sure you won't move to London and us three share"

"I'm not moving to London Harry"

Hermione wondered what it would take for her to drop her plans and take the jobs opportunities at the Ministry. If she was honest with herself she would recognize that becoming a Healer wasn't necessarily her idea. Her talent and lust for knowledge set her apart from her classmates, meaning that people where constantly debating what area she would excel in. Entering one of the most complicated branches of wizarding magical seemed the only way she could live out her potential. But as her plan started to roll into action, the implications of moving to the other side of the country seemed to become more prominent. If she changed her mind everyone would become so disappointed for her and think that she was to weak to live faraway from her friends.

"Do you think Remus and Sirius are wondering where we are?" she questioned "I doubt it. There are only so many places we could be" Hermione sat up, her legs now dangling off the edge of the planks "Remember that party from second year?" Harry sat up to, glancing around the slightly inclined garden "It was my first time visiting here and I had never seen a place more beautiful"

"I remember thinking I was King of Everything that night"

"Everyone treated you like that! Having the first ever party" she laughed "I remember stressing so much about what I was going to wear…."

"Only to have Ron ruin it as soon as the food was served"

"I cried so hard when Lav tried to help me, I thought Remus was going to yell when he saw all the water in the bathroom"

"He classes that as one of his favorite memories with you"

"I had such a crush on him after he charmed away the marks"

"I remember thinking Sirius was so cool letting everyone stay really late…only to realise now that 'really late' was ten o'clock" Hermione poked Harry slightly in the side "It was also the night of someone's first"

"I've had many firsts in this backyard…and so have you for that matter. But my first kiss that night was pretty special"

"I think Padma has been holding on to the memory ever since" they laughed before falling into a compatible silence. It was still light but the orange sky was slowly fading to purple "I hope when I grow up, I'll have a backyard like this"

"No way" Harry shook his head with a laugh "I don't want my kids doing some of the stuff we did in this backyard" Hermione rolled her eyes "What _scandalous_ stuff have you done here? Kissed a girl? Drank to much pumpkin juice?"

"Well as I said, I've had many first's here" Hermione looked comically disgusted "If you continue and say that it was in this tree house, I'll hurt you"

"Course not! This is the place we swore friends forever" he pointed vaguely to a patch of wild daisies "Amongst that"

"I like to read there! When you said it was 'alfresco' I assumed the beach or some park…. Not on top of my favorite flowers!"

"Don't come all high and mighty… your done some pretty dirty stuff here"

"Like what!"

"You and Justin held hands on the bench under the kitchen window"

"Harry, you are such a child"

"I wanted to beat him up that day" Harry admitted blushing "I couldn't believe that you like him"

"Really? I couldn't tell with all the death glares and all"

"I was a kid…"

"You were sixteen"

"Well…. I worry about you"

"I'm going to miss you so much next year"

"I'm going to miss you too…..but"

"We still have this year at Hogwarts" she finished

"Yeah"

They laid back down and enjoyed the content silence, till Harry barked out in laughter "Remember that time Ron accidently banished everyone's clothes" Hermione sniggered too "wasn't that in third year?"

"Nope, summer before fifth…. It was the night Ginny and I first started going out"

"And promptly broke up the next day" there was a slight darkness to Harry's chuckle "I do love her" he verified as if Hermione had questioned him "sometimes I don't but I always will" Hermione hands rested on his "Everything will work out"

"Look at us… we truly are adults aren't we"

"Discussing all our futures…. I guess that's pretty mature of us"

"Whatever happens, just remember we still…"

"Have one more year at Hogwarts"


End file.
